This invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of raspberry plant that has been given the variety name or denomination `Isabel`. The new cultivar was developed from hybridization of the selection B36.7 (an unpatented variety) as the seed parent with the selection C44.1 (an unpatented variety) as the pollen parent. The parents were crossed by Stephen Wilhelm in 1987, whereafter fruit and seed were collected to produce seedlings for field planting in Watsonville, Calif., in 1988. The new variety was selected from these seedlings by Carlos Fear in 1989 for their large, attractive fruit. Since its selection the `Isabel` plants have been evaluated in several noncommercial experimental plantings in Watsonville, Calif. The `Isabel` variety has been asexually propagated by in vitro shoot tip culture, root sucker division and root cuttings, and has been shown to maintain the desired and distinguishing characteristics after propagation over several generations.
The `Isabel` raspberry plant produces a relatively early primocane crop which begins in July and continues until late October. The floricane crop begins in early May and continues until about mid-July. Both the primocane and floricane yields are high relative to other comparable varieties. The fruit of the `Isabel` raspberry plant is large and remains consistently so throughout its harvest period. The fruit has a very pleasant flavor and darkens only slightly after harvest.